Year 6, Day 287: 1 Chronicles 15

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Forgiveness

• Forgiveness: Forgiveness is when our sins are absolved by God.  We do not deserve this forgiveness, but God grants it to us anyway.  We cannot earn forgiveness, but God gives it to us anyway.  As we are forgiven by God, He also asks us to forgive others.  In fact, Jesus Himself teaches us to pray for our forgiveness in the Lord’s Prayer when He says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

One of the great things about David in the Old Testament is that he is a great example of the repentance/forgiveness cycle.  David makes mistakes.  Even better, when David makes mistakes, he makes really big mistakes!  When David fails to be obedient, the mistake is obvious and the consequences are readily at hand.  But David always repents.  He always acknowledges his mistakes and makes a course correction under a more godly way.

If we look at the opening of this passage, do you hear David’s course correction?  It seems like the Chronicler can’t tell us fast enough.  Practically the first half of this chapter is about how David brings up the ark using the Levites.  He calls the Levites and asks them to do their job according to the calling of God.  He then establishes the priests and the Levites to minister properly according to the ways of the Lord.  With his course correction in place, he finds the blessing of the Lord.

This is just who David is.  He lives out what he thinks is best.  He makes decisions based on what he feels in his spirit.  Because of this, when he messes up there are noticeable consequences.  But David is quick to admit when he makes mistakes.  He is quick to move past them, fix them, and get on with life.  David epitomizes the reality that when God says He forgives, God means it.  When we truly repent and change, God forgives and moves on and invites us to do the same.

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